Chocolate Cake

This chocolate cake is so easy that it feels like cheating. It is rich, moist, and decadently chocolatey, without being too heavy. It's perfect with a smooth chocolate, vanilla or espresso buttercream, or a dripping chocolate ganache.

Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups Flour

¾ cups Cocoa Powder

1 tsp       Salt

1 tsp       Baking Powder

2 tsp      Baking Soda

2 cups    Sugar

1 cup      Vegetable Oil

1 cup      Milk

2           Eggs

1 cup      Black Coffee

2 x 8" Cake pans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325℉. Line cake pans with parchment on the bottom, and non-stick cooking spray on the sides.

2. Make 1 cup of coffee.

3. Combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, baking soda and sugar in your mixing bowl. Whisk them all together, this will help prevent lumps.

4. In another bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, milk, and eggs. Whisk in the coffee.

5. Pour the wet ingredients into the mixing bowl on top of the dry ingredients. With the paddle attachment, mix on low until everything is combined. Scrape the bottom with a spatula. Mix on medium speed for about two minutes. This can also be done with a hand mixer or a spatula, though mixing by hand will take a little longer.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. The batter should come about ½ or ¾ up the sides. Don’t over-fill, as the cake will rise in the oven.

7. Bake about 30 - 35 minutes, turning half way through. It will be done when a toothpick comes out clean, and the cake springs back up when you gently press the top. Bake time may vary depending on the size of your pans, and the temperature of your oven, so make sure you're checking on them every 10 minutes.

8. Let cool in the pans for about an hour, then de-pan and bring to room temperature. You can wrap it and refrigerate for a few days, or freeze it for up to a month.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Gather all ingredients, and pre-heat your oven to 325℉

Into your mixing bowl, measure 2 cups of flour,

3/4 cups of cocoa powder,

1 teaspoon salt,

1 teaspoon baking powder,

2 teaspoons baking soda,

and 2 cups of white sugar.

Whisk all the dry ingredients together, this will help prevent lumps

In a separate bowl, measure 1 cup of vegetable oil,

1 cup of milk,

and 2 eggs.

Whisk the wet ingredients together.

Pour 1 cup of coffee into the wet mixture, and whisk to combine.

Pour the wet ingredients into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients.

Whisk on low speed until combined

Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl

Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes, until the batter is smooth

Prep 2 8" cake pans with parchment on the bottom, and non-stick cooking spray on the sides

Pour the cake batter evenly into the two cake pans

Bake at 325℉  for 20-30 minutes. Cakes are done when a toothpick comes out clean, and the top of the cake springs back when gently pressed. Bake time

may vary, so make sure you're checking on them every 10 minutes

Cool about 1 hour, then remove the cakes from the pans

Finish the cakes with Swiss Meringue Buttercream, chocolate ganache, or caramel (or all three!) and enjoy!